The  New  Testament 
Among  the  Greeks 

The  Ecumenical  Patriarch  of  Constantinople 

with  the  collaboration  of 

The  Bishop  of  Nicea 
The  Bishop  of  Sardis,  and 
The  Bishop  of  Seleucia 


Centennial  pamphlets,  j$o.  3 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 

NEW  YORK 

1916 


Universal  Bible  Sunday 

•  • 

The  dominant  thought  and  aim  of  the  Centennial  celebration  of  the 
American  Bible  Society  is  the  exaltation  of  the  Word  of  God. 

In  commemoration  of  the  blessings  which  have  flowed  from  the  Bible, 
and  in  gratitude  for  the  good  hand  of  God  upon  the  Society  throughout  the 
100  years  during  which  it  has  put  forth  and  circulated  the  Scriptures,  and 
which  100  years  end  on  the  7th  of  May,  1916,  it  is  requested  that  that  day 
be  observed  as 

UNIVERSAL  BIBLE  SUNDAY 

In  this  observance  churches  of  many  denominations  throughout  the 
United  States  have  indicated  their  intention  to  join.  It  will  also  be  ob¬ 
served  by  union  meetings  in  large  centers,  and  by  special  exercises  in 
Sunday  Schools,  Young  People’s  Societies  and  other  church  organizations 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  our  great  country. 

As  the  sun  brings  light  that  day  to  our  southern  continent,  there,  too, 
will  be  gathered’,  in  observance  of  this  day,  those  who  love  the  Word  of 
God.  Assurances  have  already  been  given  that  in  the  Islands  of  the 
Seven  Seas,  in  the  far  Philippines,  in  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun,  in 
Bible-loving  Korea,  in  great  seeking  China,  in  Siam  and  India,  along  the 
Persian  Gulf  and  the  Delta  of  the  Nile,  and  even  in  war-smitten  Europe, 
there  will  be  those  who  will  join  in  this  grateful  recognition  of  the  blessings 
from  The  Book. 

Will  those  who  read  these  lines  all  join  in  the  observance  of  this  day? 
Literature  to  assist  in  such  observance  may  be  had  from 

The  Secretaries,  Bible  House,  Astor  Place,  New  York  City. 


Centennial  History  of  the  Bible  Society 

•  • 

•  The  Rev.  Henry  Otis  Dwight,  LL.D.,  the  Recording  Secretary  of  the 
Society,  has  for  more  than  a  year  now  been  set  aside  for  the  one  purpose 
of  writing  the  Society’s  History.  It  is  a  story  of  intense  interest  and 
intrinsic  value  for  all  who  rejoice  in,  and  watch  solicitously,  the  growth 
and  development  of  our  own  country  or  the  growth  and  development  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God  the  world  over. 

It  will  be  a  volume  of  about  500  pages,  with  illustrations,  and  will  be 
ready  in  March,  1916.  Cloth  bound,  it  will  be  $1;  paper  bound,  50  cents. 
The  Macmillan  Company  will  publish  it  for  the  Society.  Orders  or  in¬ 
quiries  may  be  addressed  to 

The  Secretaries,  Bible  House,  Astor  Place,  New  York  City. 


MJG  2° 


^0^9  ppceWed 


The  New  Testament 
Among  the  Greeks 


The  Ecumenical  Patriarch  of  Constantinople 

with  the  collaboration  of 

The  Bishop  of  Nicea 
The  Bishop  of  Sardis,  and 
The  Bishop  of  Seleucia 


Centennial  $anq$let&  ISo.  3 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 
NEW  YORK 
1916 


This  paper,  read  at  the  World’s 
Bible  Congress,  was  prepared, 
at  the  request  of  the  Society- 
made  through  the  Rev.  Marcellus 
Bowen,  D.D.,  under  the  direction 
of  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople 
by  the  three  Bishops  of  the  Greek 
Church  whose  names  are  signed 
thereto.  It  was  written  in  Greek. 
The  English  translation,  made  by 
a  Greek  in  Constantinople,  pre¬ 
serves  the  flavor  and  atmosphere 
of  this  ancient  Church.  Such  a 
paper,  officially  prepared  under 
the  sanction  of  the  Eastern  Ortho¬ 
dox  Synod  of  the  Greek  Church, 
is  of  unique  interest. 


The  New  Testament  Among 

the  Greeks 


IT  seems  to  us  that  the  American  Bible  Society  has  had  a  noble  idea  in 
proposing  the  convocation  at  San  Francisco  of  a  World’s  Bible  Con¬ 
gress  at  the  World’s  Fair,  which  is  celebrating  the  completion  of  the 
grand  work  of  the  Panama  Canal.  All  Christians  will  thus  come  in  touch 
with  one  another  under  good  auspices,  on  ground  sacred  to  them  all — 
this  great,  God-inspired  Book  of  mankind  whose  power  remains  inde¬ 
structible  forever.  The  Ecumenical  Patriarchate,  having  cheerfully  ac¬ 
cepted  the  fraternal  request,  gives  through  us  a  concise  account  of  the 
beginning  and  evolution  of  the  great  influence  of  the  New  Testament  on 
the  Greeks. 

Among  all  who  believe  in  the  Theanthropos,  the  Saviour  and  Redeemer 
of  all  men,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Greeks  are  acknowledged  to  have 
been,  next  to  the  Apostles,  the  loud  heralds  and  learned  preceptors  of  his 
divine  teaching.  The  God-inspired  books  of  the  New  Testament  are 
written  in  the  Greek  language,  the  Old  Testament  having  long  previously 
been  known  to  the  world  through  a  Greek  translation.  And  it  is  manifest 
that  the  Lord’s  way  of  salvation  was  in  various  ways  prepared  for  the 
nations  by  the  learning  and  culture  of  the  Greeks. 

The  religious  Greek  nation  has  from  the  very  beginning  strongly 
cherished  the  Sacred  Scriptures  as  a  household  treasure,  particularly  the 
New  Testament,  which  in  it  and  through  it  became  an  everlasting  posses¬ 
sion  to  the  world.  It  has  never  ceased  studying  it,  as  it  considers  it  the 
best  food  of  the  mind.  Logically  investigating  its  contents  in  the  light  of 
the  teaching  of  the  Apostles  and  the  Church  fathers,  it  faithfully  preserves 
in  its  heart  the  saving  precepts  of  the  Sacred  Book.  Witness  to  this  are 
the  numerous  manuscripts  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  particularly  of  the 
New  Testament,  preserved  until  our  day,  showing  that  a  very  extensive 
study,  public  and  private,  had  been  made  of  them.  The  Greeks  of  to-day 
are  more  generally  using  the  New  Testament  in  public  worship,  as  well 
as  in  their  homes  and  schools. 

Who  among  theologians  is  not  familiar  with  the  old  comments  and 
critical  researches  on  the  Holy  Bible,  which  are  even  now  considered  as 
very  able  ?  Such  treasures  as  have  been  transmitted,  valuable  first  of  all 
to  us,  clearly  show  our  forefathers’  earnest  and  sagacious  zeal  for  re¬ 
search,  for  knowledge,  and  for  transmission  without  change  of  the  inde¬ 
structible  divine  truths.  We  believe,  having  been  so  taught  by  our  fathers, 
that  the  sacred  tradition  of  the  Apostles  and  of  the  Church,  which  is  a 
living  fountain  of  the  true  faith,  is  consistent  with  Scriptural  precepts  and 
supported  by  Scriptural  utterances.  We  have  as  the  sources  of  our  faith, 


4 


The  New  Testament  Among  the  Greeks 


the  Holy  Bible  and  sacred  tradition,  not  at  variance,  but  in  accord  with 
each  other,  proceeding  from  God  and  granted  to  us  through  our  Church. 

In  later  times,  when,  as  fate  would  have  it,  culture  and  theology  began 
to  decline,  the  great  respect  for  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  particularly  the 
New  Testament,  had  in  no  way  lost  its  vigor.  The  preaching  of  God’s 
Word,  continuing  rich  as  ever,  was  interwoven  with  Scriptural  teachings 
and  sayings.  Photius  the  Great,  glorious  among  Patriarchs  and  sages,  in 
homilies,  in  speeches,  in  his  controversies  with  Amphilochius,  in  letters, 
in  ecclesiastical  hymns,  in  his  “  Myriobiblos,”  searches  for  and  teaches 
Scriptural  truth  above  everything  else,  and  so  waters  with  Scriptural 
floods  the  minds  and  hearts  of  all.  Theophylactus,  Archbishop  of  Bul¬ 
garia;  CEcumenius,  Bishop  of  Trikke;  Euthymius  Zigabenus,  and  other 
ecclesiastical  writers  of  those  times,  particularly  Ioannes  Damascenus,  con¬ 
sider  the  careful  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  particularly  of  the 
New  Testament,  as  a  highly  important  duty. 

In  a  word,  the  Greek  nation,  which  during  long  centuries  has  been 
struggling  for  its  faith  and  other  ancestral  inheritances,  has  always  con¬ 
sidered  that  unwavering  piety  and  a  pure  life  would  insure  advancement 
and  promotion.  Even  when  constrained  by  dire  necessity  to  enter  upon 
the  downward  path,  it  did  not  falter,  nor  would  it  consent  to  remain 
speechless  and  self-oblivious.  It  still  valued  very  highly  the  God-granted 
wealth  of  the  Holy  Bible,  which  is  the  life-giving  nurse  of  the  mind,  and 
which  strengthens  soul  and  spirit.  It  greatly  enjoyed  the  study  of  the  im¬ 
mortal  writings  of  the  ancient  Greeks,  but  it  also  opened  up  untrodden 
paths  of  new  needs,  always  searching  for  the  best.  Assailed  on  all  sides, 
it  eventually  reached  the  depth  of  its  misfortunes,  an  unprecedented 
bondage,  long  and  dreadful. 

Everything  then  appeared  full  of  darkness  and  terror  and  misfortune, 
and  much-famed  Greek  culture  was  ruthlessly  driven  away  from  its  sacred 
hearths.  In  these  violent  whirlings  of  necessity,  feeble  lamps  (the  miser¬ 
able  remains  of  a  former  culture)  dimly  lighted  at  some  places  the  sacred 
soil  of  the  fatherland,  which  was  harassed  by  all  kinds  of  calamities.  A 
dreadful  mixture  of  evils  threatened  us  with  deluge  and  annihilation,  while 
no  one  could  or  dared  help.  What  was  painful  above  all  else,  we  were 
subjected  to  still  more  terrible  distresses  by  our  very  brethren,  thus 
receiving  sorrow  upon  sorrow.  The  simple  fact  that  we  lived  and  pre¬ 
served  ourselves,  holding  our  faith  entire  and  our  lives  pure,  was  con¬ 
sidered  by  the  learned  men  of  western  Europe  as  a  great  wonder  and  a 
bright  gift  of  divine  favor. 

An  indomitable  power  animated  and  warned  our  fathers  to  preserve 
reverently  these  pure  treasures  of  religion  and  life.  This  power  was  that 
of  the  Word  of  God,  richly  abiding  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  all. 
Preaching,  which  was  never  entirely  extinct,  as  is  gathered  from  many 
facts,  was  the  source  of  great  benefits.  Gennadius  II.,  surnamed  Schola- 


The  New  Testament  Among  the  Greeks 


5 


rius  (1454—1456),  first  Patriarch  after  the  fall  of  Constantinople,  was  a 
learned  man  and  an  eminent  teacher,  who  never  declined  the  task  of  in¬ 
structing  the  masses.  After  him,  Maximus  III.  (1476-1482),  ninth  Patri¬ 
arch  in  scarcely  one  quarter  of  a  century  after  the  fall  of  the  “Queen  of 
Cities,”  was  distinguished  for  his  pastoral  virtues.  He  used  to  preach 
from  the  pulpit  every  Sunday  and  holiday,  charming  the  souls  of  the 
faithful,  and  explaining  with  wonderful  eloquence  the  precepts  and 
examples  of  the  Holy  Bible. 

This  Patriarch,  caring  with  ardent  zeal  and  patriotic  affection  for  the 
preservation  of  the  faith  of  the  Orthodox  Greeks  who  were  under  Venice, 
wrote  to  the  Doge  Mosenigo,  begging  that  no  wrong  be  done  to  the  re¬ 
ligion  of  the  aforesaid  Greeks.  Writing  in  January,  1480,  among  other 
things  he  says :  If  what  I  say  may  have  any  weight  in  your  Excellent 
and  Most  Wise  Council,  be  pleased  to  order  that  these  persecutions  and 
afflictions  cease  and  that  all  be  permitted  freedom  in  their  customs  and  in 
their  faith.”  Besides  Patriarch  Maximus,  there  were  other  distinguished 
preachers  of  the  Word  of  God  in  the  “Queen  of  Cities,”  as  well  as  in 
other  parts  of  the  conquered  territory,  maintaining  among  the  people 
piety  and  purity  of  morals. 

Most  valuable  are  these  first  fruits  of  the  ardent  zeal  animating  the 
generations  just  after  the  fall  of  Constantinople  for  faith  and  for  instruc¬ 
tion  from  the  Holy  Scriptures  at  times  when  the  danger  was  greatest.  For 
on  all  sides  there  was  suffering  and  difficulty,  so  that  great  and  untiring 
care  was  needed*  While  political  and  religious  contests  and  wars  were 
devastating  a  great  part  of  Europe,  the  storm  thereby  caused  was  so  dis¬ 
turbing  to  us  that  we  could  nowhere  find  peace  or  rest.  Yet  our  forefathers 
did  not  despair  or  show  culpable  inaction,  but  untiringly  instructed  the 
people  with  sermons  and  other  writings.  They  remained  united  and  un¬ 
shaken  in  the  Divine  Scriptures,  particularly  the  New  Testament,  the 
sacred  tradition  of  the  Church  being  a  great  help  to  them. 

Witness  to  these  facts  is  borne  by  a  great  number  of  sermons  and 
speeches,  manuscript  or  printed,  thickly  studded  with  Scriptural  sayings, 
especially  from  the  New  Testament.  A  pious  and  patriotic  rivalry  in¬ 
spired  those  who  could  say  and  do  what  was  necessary,  as  well  as  knew 
what  was  useful,  for  keeping  faith  and  life  in  their  completeness.  They 
would  by  no  means  suffer  that  the  ancestral  wealth  of  faith  should  be 
altered,  either  secretly  or  stealthily,  or  by  violence  and  oppression;  or 
that  life  should  be  blemished  by  various  sophistries  and  falsehoods.  For 
it  was  intolerable,  as  they  were  Greeks  and  had  forefathers  who  had  been 
loud  heralds  of  the  truth  and  wise  preceptors  of  the  heavenly  teachings, 
to  allow  others  to  teach  among  them  and  use  their  people  as  a  prey; 

and  it  was  then  that  a  great  host  of  martyrs  adorned  and  brightened  their 
Church. 

Everything  in  our  public,  as  well  as  in  our  private  life,  has,  during  long 


6 


The  New  Testament  Among  the  Greeks 


ages,  been  imbued  with  hereditary  piety,  faith,  and  purity  of  morals. 
While  serving  under  dire  bondage  our  forefathers  never  slept,  were  never 
beguiled  by  enticements,  nor  blemished  in  the  pure  thoughts  of  their 
minds.  And  if  some  were  (to  use  the  words  of  the  Apostle  Peter)  “led 
away  by  error,”  they  did  not,  except  a  very  few,  “fall  from  their  own 
steadfastness.”  They  endured  insufferable  ills,  but  they  “grew  in  grace 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.”  We  shall, 
therefore,  remain  forever  faithful  to  the  principles  handed  to  us  down 
through  the  ages,  which  give  splendor  to  our  long  and  renowned  national 
history,  in  which  we  humbly  glory  with  eternal  gratitude  to  God.  We  are 
justified  in  saying  with  the  great  Apostle  of  the  nations:  “We  glory  in 
tribulations,  also,  knowing  that  tribulation  worketh  patience ;  and  patience 
experience  ;  and  experience  hope ;  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed ;  because 
the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is 
given  unto  us.” 

Those  who  wish  to  carefully  examine  our  institutions  should  know  that 
among  us  the  centers  of  piety,  faith  and  purity  of  manners  are  three — 
churches,  schools,  homes.  In  these  the  Word  of  God,  above  everything 
else,  nourishes  all  in  piety  and  purity,  the  Theanthropos,  our  Lord  and 
Saviour,  always  living  among  us  and  joining  us  in  our  efforts.  We  thus 
see  that  his  holy  religion  incites  us  to  do  good,  and  so  we  will  cheerfully 
suffer  anything  for  it,  as  we  judge  that  there  is  nothing  more  precious. 
And  we  shall  say  the  truth  in  giving  the  assurance  that  even  now  wonder¬ 
ful  things  are  accomplished  by  faith  among  us.  For  when  it  is  steadfastly 
preserved,  many  such  wonders  can  be  accomplished  through  sacred  images, 
fountains,  and  other  sacred  shrines,  by  ardent  devotion  and  prayer. 

This  is  not,  however,  the  occasion  for  furnishing  proofs  of  the  faith  pre¬ 
vailing  among  us,  and  now  we  will  rather  speak  about  the  instruction  of 
the  faithful  in  the  churches  as  within  the  scope  of  our  theme.  Practically 
speaking,  it  is  from  the  Holy  Bible  and  particularly  from  the  New  Testa¬ 
ment,  that  everything  is  derived  in  our  public  worship — prayers,  supplica¬ 
tions  and  counsels.  For  quiet  and  calm  teaching  is  imparted  to  all  through 
hymns  and  readings.  Most  important  are  the  readings  from  the  Gospels, 
the  Acts  and  Epistles  of  the  Apostles,  also  the  preaching  of  the  Word  of 
God,  and  the  service  of  the  Liturgy.  A  careful  study  will  show  that  all 
are  instructed,  at  common  prayer  and  worship,  and  at  all  the  other  church 
services,  through  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  especially  the  New  Testa¬ 
ment. 

Much  of  what  is  found  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  seems  easily  intelligible 
to  Greeks,  owing  to  their  hereditary  knowledge  of  them  for  centuries.  By 
reason  of  the  similarity  of  customs  and  the  proximity  of  the  Holy  Land, 
where  the  great  Miracle  of  divine  condescension  was  performed,  the  Holy 
Scriptures  are  more  easily  understood  by  us.  But  we  still  more  prize  and 
honor  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  particularly  the  New  Testament,  because 


The  New  Testament  Among  the  Greeks 


7 


of  the  great  trial  to  our  faith  sent  to  us  in  days  of  dark  bondage.  It  is 
natural  that  a  loved  object  should  be  better  known  to  those  who  cherish  it, 
on  account  of  the  strong  yearning  of  their  love.  Such  being  our  attitude 
toward  the  Scriptures,  we  imbibe  greater  consolation  and  strength  from 
them.  We  also  believe  that  the  sacred  paintings,  which  have  long  been 
honored  among  ns  and  which  constitute  a  great  ornament  to  churches,  are 
an  important  help  in  attaining  a  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  And 
we  know  that  paintings  teach  men  many  things. 

If  some  things  seem  difficult  to  understand,  both  on  account  of  the  style 
and  of  the  meaning,  yet  they  become  easily  intelligible  from  being  often 
read  to  us  in  a  familiar  language.  We  acknowledge  that  through  the  por¬ 
tions  of  the  New  Testament,  the  Psalms,  and  other  books  of  the  Old 
Testament  which  are  read  in  the  Church  services,  as  well  as  through  the 
hymns  and  prayers,  our  national  language  has  been  preserved  from  the 
great  danger  of  utter  destruction  threatening  it.  We  believe  that  our  pub¬ 
lic  worship  has,  both  by  its  inherent  meaning  and  by  its  language,  been 
a  mighty  dam  against  the  torrent  of  destruction  threatening  our  tongue, 
and  a  savory  leaven  sufficing  to  leaven  the  whole  lump,  as  those  well 
qualified  declare.  With  eternal  gratitude  we  declare  this  also  to  be  a 
divine  gift,  as  it  saved  nation,  tongue,  and  faith,  amid  unprecedented  dan¬ 
gers. 

As  we  believe  that  “  all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and 
is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in  right¬ 
eousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto 
all  good  works,”  we  anticipate  through  it  a  gentleness  of  manners,  purity 
of  morals,  and  godly  conduct.  Through  it  the  spiritual  pastors,  as  “good 
ministers  of  Jesus  Christ,  nourished  up  in  the  words  of  faith  and  good 
doctrine  ”  which  they  hear  “in  the  church  of  the  living  God,”  “  the  pillar 
and  the  ground  of  truth,”  are  endeavoring  in  a  God-pleasing  manner  to 
instruct  their  flocks  through  words  and  deeds,  preaching  the  Word  of  God 
“with  all  long  suffering  and  doctrine.”  All  who  preach  in  our  Church  know 
that  they  should  say  nothing  as  by  their  own  authority,  nor  be  satisfied 
with  erroneous  thoughts  of  their  own,  but  should  adjust  their  teaching  to 
the  general  teaching  of  the  Church.  For  God’s  Word  will  abide  forever, 
and  it  is  not  right  that  it  should  be  the  object  of  erring  human  thoughts. 

Together  with  churches,  we  consider  schools  to  be  sacred  and  we  do 
not  cease  teaching  in  them  our  ancestral  piety.  In  the  old  times  of  bond¬ 
age,  it  was  through  piety  as  well  as  through  other  features  of  our  ancestral 
culture  that  we  attempted  to  impart  freedom  to  the  mind.  Until  recent 
times,  instruction  was  given  in  various  community  schools  from  ecclesias¬ 
tical  books  like  the  “Octoechos,”  the  Psalterion,”  and  the  Apostolos. 
Through  these  instruction  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  direct  or  indirect,  was 
imparted  to  pupils,  while  the  necessary  grammatical  and  literary  training 
was  also  attended  to.  This  instruction  in  religious  life,  given  in  the 


8 


The  New  Testament  Among  the  Greeks 


schools  through  the  Holy  Scriptures,  was  assisted  by  what  was  suitably 
done  in  the  homes.  For  “  the  church  which  is  in  the  home  ”  used  to  pray 
in  a  special  part  of  the  house,  according  to  the  readings  appointed  for 
churches.  Books  were  placed  in  such  domestic  chapels  side  by  side  with 
the  sacred  images — the  New  Testament,  ordinarily  called  the  Evangelion, 
as  well  as  other  books  like  those  above  mentioned  as  being  used  in 
schools,  preferably  the  “  Orologion,”  the  “  Synopsis,”  the  “  Apostolos,” 
and  the  “Psalter.”  The  children  thus  piously  trained  in  their  homes 
were  eager  to  assist  the  church  choirs  by  joining  in  the  hymns,  or  by  read¬ 
ing  various  selections,  and  the  families  were  very  happy  in  the  privilege 
of  hearing  the  melodious  reading  by  their  boys  from  the  “Apostolos  ”  at 
church.  This  is  equally  esteemed  by  us  at  the  present  day. 

Also,  in  the  higher  schools  of  former  times,  the  instruction  imparted 
was  for  many  reasons  strongly  imbued  with  the  fragrant  aroma  of  Biblical 
culture.  Though  the  ordinary  secular  instruction  was  by  no  means  neg¬ 
lected,  the  religious  and  theological  character  of  the  training,  calculated 
to  save  the  pupils  from  many  and  great  dangers,  was  quite  emphasized. 
Such  was  Greek  education  as  fostered  by  the  loving  care  of  our  mother 
Church  down  to  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  a  quickening 
breath  of  piety  and  ancestral  faith  was  through  it  universally  diffused. 
Men  of  science  and  distinguished  scholars,  both  clergymen  and  laymen, 
who  had  been  educated  in  different  parts  of  western  Europe,  industriously, 
zealously  and  patriotically  defended  the  precepts  of  their  ancestral  faith 
with  great  benefit  to  the  nation. 

This  devotion  on  the  part  of  the  Greek  nation  to  the  study  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  particularly  the  New  Testament,  is  strongly  evidenced  by 
the  numerous  and  multiform  editions  printed  by  Greeks  for  the  general 
use  and  profit  of  their  countrymen.  But  our  people,  not  contented  with 
these  alone,  very  often  use  also  editions  published  by  others.  It  would 
be  a  long  and  difficult  task  to  make  a  list  of  the  editions  by  Greeks  of  the 
New  Testament,  as  a  collection  either  of  all  its  books  arranged  according 
to  the  special  canon,  or  of  the  passages  read  in  the  churches  from  the 
Gospels  and  the  Acts  and  Epistles  of  the  Apostles.  Though  in  some 
monasteries,  even  at  this  day,  manuscripts  are  in  use  of  the  church  read¬ 
ings  from  the  Gospels  and  the  “Apostolos,”  as  well  as  of  other  ecclesi¬ 
astical  books,  there  are  innumerable  editions  for  popular  use  in  churches 
of  readings  from  the  Gospels  and  the  “Apostolos,”  while  new  editions 
are  being  constantly  produced.  We  have  also  many  editions,  old  and 
more  recent,  of  the  complete  New  Testament,  made  by  Greeks  for  the 
profit  of  their  countrymen ;  and  these  are  being  multiplied  day  by  day. 
The  Bible  societies,  also,  with  admirable  devotion  and  attention  worthy  of 
zealous  imitation,  have  published  in  the  generally  accepted  text  ( Textus 
Receptus)  many  cheap  and  easily  obtainable  editions  of  the  New  Testa¬ 
ment,  in  immense  numbers  of  copies,  for  distribution  chiefly  among 


The  New  Testament  Among  the  Greeks 


9 


Greeks.  A  very  extensive  use  of  these  was  made  until  recent  times  for 
study  both  in  homes  and  in  schools. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  century,  after  a  previous  preparation 
of  about  fifteen  years,  mainly  during  the  rule  of  the  late  Patriarch  Con¬ 
stantine  V.,  of  blessed  memory,  who  even  contributed  a  considerable 
amount  to  the  expense,  the  publication  was  made  (in  many  thousands)  of 
copies  of  “The  New  Testament,  by  approval  of  the  Great  Church  of 
Christ,  Constantinople,  1904.”  This  edition  was  superintended  by  a  com¬ 
mittee  of  three  members,  the  Rev.  Bishop  of  Sardis,  Mgr.  Michael,  Prin¬ 
cipal  of  the  National  Greek  College  of  Constantinople,  the  Rev.  Bishop  of 
Stavropolis,  Mgr.  Apostolos,  Principal  of  the  Theological  Seminary  of 
Halki,  now  Bishop  of  Serras,  and  Mr.  Basil  Antoniadis,  Professor  of  the 
Theological  Seminary  of  Halki,  who  acted  as  adviser  to  the  committee. 
From  the  short  preface  to  this  edition  it  is  understood  that  the  committee 
had  as  its  purpose  “  The  restoration  as  far  as  possible  of  the  oldest  text 
of  ecclesiastical  tradition,  and  particularly  of  the  tradition  of  the  Church 
of  Constantinople.”  The  texts  of  manuscript  Gospels  and  Acts  of  Byzan¬ 
tine  times  were  taken  as  a  basis  for  this  work,  although  they  had  been 
ignored  in  the  preceding  editions  of  the  New  Testament.  The  text  is  un¬ 
questionably  superior  to  the  text  of  the  editions  made  by  the  Bible  socie¬ 
ties,  and  it  varies  from  the  latter  in  two  thousand  readings.  This 
edition,  which  surpassed  in  size  all  the  previous  editions  published  for 
general  use,  has  been  substituted  in  their  place,  and  it  is  now  being 
circulated  everywhere  among  us,  the  Bible  societies  also  engaging  in  its 
distribution.  It  was  stereotyped,  and  a  second  edition  was  issued  in 
1912. 

In  much  earlier  times,  as  well  as  at  the  present  day,  there  has  been  a 
continuous  publication  of  various  works  and  treatises  which  in  many  ways 
facilitate  the  study  of  the  New  Testament ;  ecclesiastical  and  social  maga¬ 
zines  contain  much  matter  of  Scriptural  study,  particularly  from  the  Gos¬ 
pels,  the  Acts,  and  the  Epistles.  There  is  a  pious  competition  open  to  all 
for  deeper  study  and  knowledge  of  the  New  Testament,  and  the  preachers 
in  various  places  are  giving  their  practical  attention  to  this  with  praise¬ 
worthy  zeal.  Also  a  Dictionary  of  the  New  Testament  was  published  in 
1910  by  the  Rev.  Sophronius  Eustratiadis,  Bishop  of  Leontopolis.  In  a 
word,  the  study  of  the  New  Testament  is  day  by  day  making  new  progress, 
stimulated  by  the  Theological  Seminaries  of  Halki  and  Athens.  Able 
professors  of  these  seminaries  publish  important  works  on  the  books  of  the 
New  Testament. 

It  would  take  too  long  to  write  with  any  precision  in  regard  to  the  use 
of  the  New  Testament  among  us.  From  an  examination  it  becomes  mani¬ 
fest  that  the  Greeks  have  never  failed  to  do,  so  far  as  possible,  what  would 
tend  toward  an  extensive  study  and  understanding  of  the  New  Testament 
and  the  consequent  benefit  of  their  people.  A  slight  examination  of  the 


10 


The  New  Testament  Among  the  Greeks 


literature  published  among  us  during  a  long  period  would  show  that  until 
about  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century  many  such  writings,  original 
and  translated,  had  been  printed.  Since  that  time  new  aspiration  has  given 
fresh  vigor  to  the  efforts  made  for  more  efficiently  educating  our  people 
and  effecting  a  general  reformation.  This  is  the  bright  fruit  produced 
mainly  by  the  immortal,  extensive,  and  laborious  efforts  of  the  Greek 
mind,  which  is  always  eager  for  improvement  and  progress,  and  believes 
that  such  fruit  is  happiness  for  all. 

These  are  facts  which  are  manifest  now  as  they  have  been  in  the  past. 
Especially  during  the  last  fifty  years,  our  whole  life  has  been  vigorously 
pushing  forward  and  improving  in  education,  the  arts,  and  the  sciences, 
which  are  the  bright  fruits  of  prosperity.  Religion  and  purity  of  morals, 
as  based  on  the  virtues  of  our  forefathers,  are  day  by  day  exhibiting  a  fur¬ 
ther  development  and  vitality,  from  which  a  practical  benefit  to  our  people 
is  derived.  Besides  the  religious  lessons  (mostly  Scriptural)  given  to 
students  of  schools  and  colleges  in  ordinary  education,  a  precious  book  is 
given  to  them,  a  superior  guide  to  morality  and  faithfulness— the  New 
Testament  in  the  original  text,  competently  explained  by  the  teachers. 
Thus  the  divine  sayings  come  within  'reach  of  the  families  and  of  the 
masses  through  the  schools  and  through  the  preaching  of  the  Word  of 
God. 

The  following  may  be  considered  as  special  indications  of  the  great 
love  and  reverence  felt  by  Greeks  for  the  New  Testament.  Many  among 
us  have  very  small  copies  of  the  New  Testament,  commonly  called  Evan- 
gelion,  as  already  mentioned,  specially  printed  for  this  purpose,  which 
they  call  “  Divine  Keepsakes,”  and  constantly  keep  on  their  persons,  be¬ 
lieving  them  to  be  lifelong,  unconquerable  guardians  and  treasures.  This 
is  more  extensively  in  use  among  inhabitants  of  small  towns  and  villages, 
and  according  to  an  old  custom.  Again,  many  of  our  people,  even  though 
bearing  witness  to  the  truth  in  law  courts,  are  very  reluctant  to  place  their 
hands  on  the  Divine  Gospel,  as  it  is  required  by  law,  as  they  consider  this 
a  very  great  sin.  Another  custom  proving  the  great  devotion  to  the  New 
Testament  is  the  reading  of  the  four  Gospels  by  ecclesiastics  in  families, 
on  some  occasions.  This  is  sometimes  done  in  churches,  also,  particularly 
in  the  first  days  of  the  Holy  Week  of  Lent. 

These  facts,  O  honored  lovers  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  precious  breth¬ 
ren  in  the  faith  of  the  Theanthropos,  our  Redeemer,  we  have  considered 
good  to  lay  down  before  you  very  concisely,  fulfilling  a  respected  Patri¬ 
archal  command.  As  long  as  Greeks  declare  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  be 
the  Redeemer  and  Saviour  of  mankind,  and  lay  their  hopes  on  him  alone, 
the  New  Testament,  this  revered,  God-inspired  Book,  wherein  his  world- 
redeeming  work  is  exposed  to  all,  shall  be  highly  precious  and  dear  to 
them.  For  the  Greeks,  the  Theanthropos,  our  Saviour,  is  inseparably  con¬ 
nected  with  the  New  Testament,  which  proclaims  him  to  the  world.  Hav- 


The  New  Testament  Among  the  Greeks 


11 


ing  indelibly  stamped  on  their  minds  the  long  struggles  and  sufferings  of 
their  forefathers  for  the  Lord  and  for  the  God-granted  Book  which  speaks 
of  him,  they  shall  never  cease  to  say  with  Peter:  “Lord,  to  whom  shall 
we  go?  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.”  And  these  words  of  eter¬ 
nal  life  are  treasured  in  the  New  Testament  for  the  salvation  of  all. 

(Signed)  Basil,  Bishop  of  Nicea. 

(Signed)  Michael,  Bishop  of  Sardis. 

(Signed)  Germanos,  Bishop  of  Seleucia . 

Constantinople,  May  25,  1915. 


✓ 


CENTENNIAL  PAMPHLETS 


SMALL  QUARTO  (7Kx  8%) 

1  The  Bible,  the  Book  of  Mankind,  by  Prof.  B.  B.  Warfield, 

D.D.,  LL.D. 

2  The  Bible  in  Europe,  by  Prof.  A.  Kuyper,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  Of 

Holland. 

3  The  Greek  Testament,  The  Ecumenical  Patriarch  of  Con¬ 

stantinople  with  the  collaboration  of  the  Bishop  of  Nicea,  the 
Bishop  of  Sardis  aftd  the  Bishop  of  Seleucia. 

4  The  Hebrew  Bible,  by  Rev.  S.  B.  Rohold,  F.  R.  G.  S.,  of 

Toronto. 

5  The  Birthplace  of  the  Bible  Society,  and  other  historical 

papers. 

Centennial  Bulletins.  To  appear  at  intervals  with  information 
about  Centennial  preparations  and  plans. 

SMALL  OCTAVO  (5  x  1% ) 

10  The  Bible  Among  the  Nations,  by  Rev.  Henry  Otis  Dwight, 

LL.D. 

1  1  Around  the  World  for  the  Centennial,  illustrated,  by 
Rev.  William  Ingraham  Haven,  D.D. 

12  The  American  Bible  Society  in  China,  by  Rev.  John  R. 

Hykes,  D.D. 

13  The  Bible  in  Korea,  by  Rev.  George  Heber  Jones,  D.D. 

14  The  Bible  in  the  Life  of  the  Indians  of  the  United 

States,  by  Rev.  Thomas  C.  Moffett,  D.D. 

15  The  Bible  in  Brazil,  by  Rev.  Hugh  C.  Tucker. 

1 6  Mr.  Penzotti’s  Autobiography. 

17  Bible  Work  in  the  Philippine  Islands. 

18  A  Quarter  Century  in  Siam. 

19  A  List  of  Grants-in-Aid  in  India. 


Single  copies  of  these  pamphlets  may  be  had,  postpaid,  for  5  cents  each ;  in  quantities 
of  10  or  more  at  3  cents  each.  Order  from 

The  Secretaries,  American  Bible  Society,  Astor  Place,  New  York  City,  or  from  Agency 
Secretaries. 


